The night had been long, fierce, and filled with an intensity neither River nor Heiko could have ever prepared for.
They made love like the world could end at any moment, again and again, each time more desperate, more raw, more honest than the last. River had never known that such power could come from closeness, nor that surrendering completely could feel like victory.
When at last exhaustion overcame them, tangled together in the silk and shadows of their chamber, they slept in perfect stillness—her hand on his chest, his arms protectively wrapped around her.
The sun rose lazily over the mountains, casting golden light through the tall windows of their chamber. Dust motes danced in the air, catching the glow, as the world stirred gently awake.
River blinked slowly, her body aching i
